Long Island, NY Whitestone Drowning Rescue, Oct 1894

NARROW ESCAPE FROM DROWNING.

Wealthy Residents of Whitestone Meet with an Accident.

WHITESTONE, L. I., Oct. 3.---Joseph H. Titus, fifty-eight years old and Mrs. Wallace, his sister-in-law, aged fifty-five, wealthy residents of the shore, were rescued from drowning this afternoon by Henry C. Steffens, also a resident of this place.

Mr. Titus, Mrs. Titus, and Mrs. Wallace were about to take a sail in the former's yacht Truant, which was moored in front of the Titus home, about twenty-five yards from shore.

They were in the act of boarding the yacht from a small rowboat when the accident occurred. Mrs. Titus had been placed aboard the yacht. Mr. Titus, together with Capt. William Latham of the yacht, returned to the wharf with the small boat to get Mrs. Wallace. As the latter was getting in she slipped and fell, striking the gunwale.

This overturned the boat and threw the three occupants into the water. Henry Steffens, who was fishing from a boat near by, saw the accident. He rowed to where the boat was capsized. Capt. Latham, who was an aged man, had managed to crawl up on the float, but Mr. Titus and Mrs. Wallace were struggling in the water. Neither was able to swim.

Mr. Steffens held their heads above water while his companion, Miss Fellows, took an oar and pushed the boat to the wharf, where, with the assistance of Capt. Latham, they were taken out. Both were nearly exhausted. They remained on the dock for some time before they sufficiently recovered to walk to their home.

The New York Times, New York, NY 4 Oct 1894
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!